


Ise's Ward

by abaranthion



Category: ALL OUT!! - Amase Shiori (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Loneliness, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 12:28:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11783169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abaranthion/pseuds/abaranthion
Summary: Ise feels lost and alone until his dependable dark knight returns.





	1. Chapter 1

Ise Natsuki opened his eyes painfully slowly. He didn’t know why, but he felt weak. The brightness of the room didn’t help, either.

As his sight gained focus, a little panic began to set in. He didn’t recognise the garishly decorated walls, nor the glaring light that spilled into the much-too-big room.

His neurons began firing and his other senses rushed to catch up. This place definitely didn’t smell of home, the stench was of disinfectant masking something unpleasant. His dry tongue struggled to taste. Was that a hint of copper? Blood?

The noises little Natsuki had been hearing finally started to make sense. Echoing corridors, squeaking shoes on wipe-clean floors, trundling gurney wheels. He’d begun to form a mental picture of his surroundings as he sat up in his bed. No, not his: a hospital bed which he felt swamped his small form.

He wasn’t sure if it was that realization which brought it on, but just then Natsuki felt a nearly-painful discomfort in his chest.

And that’s when he remembered: he’d been brought to hospital for surgery. Brought by his brother. Natsuki looked around for Haruki, and noted the empty chair next to his bed. Alone.

Natsuki was curious how the wound looked now. He started to shift to see under his gown, but another jolt kicked his chest.

And that’s when he remembered: he’d had an accident. He’d fallen. The *crump* as he’d landed. Lying with his face in the tarmac. Searching for Haruki as his eyes – unwilled – shut. Alone.

Little Natsuki shivered, trying to keep the emotion from trembling his lips as he sighed. “Come on,” he thought, “you’re a big boy now. You can handle being in a strange room all alone.” He roved around the ward again and noticed a TV remote on the bedside table.

He grabbed it like a lifeline and switched the TV on, flicking through the channels until he saw something that was just so familiarly comforting he couldn’t have picked better if he’d brought his whole DVD collection. He turned the volume up ‘til the sound shrouded him: “...And in Wayne Manor, stately home of millionaire Bruce Wayne and his youthful ward, Dick Grayson...”

He’d always loved Batman. Even before his parents – like Bruce Wayne’s – were...

Natsuki jumped as a nurse silently shimmied in.

‘I thought I heard you up,’ she said sweetly despite given a disapproving look at the TV.

‘Mhmm,’ Natsuki tried to give the nurse the respect of eye contact, but found himself drawn into the world of his favorite hero and his young sidekick.

‘OK, little guy,’ the nurse came a little too close to Natsuki’s side, she was checking everything was OK with him, but the small boy thought she was prying. And who was she calling “little” anyway? ‘There’s someone here who wants to see you,’ she smiled, ‘are you alright to have a visitor?’

‘Mm,’ Natsuki nodded. He was pleased to see the nurse leave. He heard her have a short whispered conversation with someone just outside.

And then he entered.

‘Haruki!’ Natsuki couldn’t stop the excited squeak in his voice at the sight of his big brother. But then he noticed: Haruki was in a wheelchair, a heavy blanket covering his legs. A little unsure, he exclaimed, ‘You’re here.’

Haruki nodded at the TV, ‘Trust you to find Batman.’ Natsuki giggled bashfully. Haruki took hold of the remote and turned the volume down to a background hum as he said, ‘I remember when you were little. You copied everything Batman did. We had to pull you off the walls before you hurt...’ he couldn’t finish the sentence, looking at Natsuki hurt now in the hospital bed. He took a shaky breath and continued with a new thought, ‘and your hair. Forming it into bat ears like his cowl.’ He smiled at the memory as he put the remote down and twisted the end of one of his brother’s horns of hair.

Natsuki noticed how long Haruki fiddled, preened, eyes welling with tears. ‘I-is everything OK, Haruki?’ Natsuki plucked up the courage to ask.

Shaken out of his thoughts, Haruki took his hand away to wipe his eyes. He coughed to get rid of the lump in his throat, ‘Everything’s going to be OK, Natsuki. Don’t worry. Everything’s fine. But there was... a problem with your surgery. You lost lots of blood.’

‘I didn’t lose it,’ Natsuki was adamant, ‘I keep it all in here.’ He pointed to his chest and winced with the pain, ‘... oh.’

Haruki smiled at his little brother’s sweet naivety, ‘OK, the doctors lost some of your blood, so they needed some of mine to make you alright.’

Natsuki gasped, ‘Is that why you’re in a wheelchair?’

Haruki looked down solemnly. Then he leaped up and laughed as he rubbed his brother’s head, ‘Nah! That was just to tease you.’

Natsuki pushed his brother’s arms away, eyes filling with tears of laughter, relief, and gratitude.

When he caught a breath, he suddenly felt tired. He shuffled down into the sheets and rested on the pillow. ‘Thanks for your blood, Haruki. I’ll give it back when I’m better,’ he dozily promised.

‘Hey,’ Haruki gently urged, stroking Haruki’s cheek and putting their heads close together, ‘you don’t need to thank me. You never need to thank me, Natsuki. You’re my brother. And not just my brother, you’re my ward.’ He stood and swept the blanket up off the floor and swished it around himself like a cape. Half turning back to Natsuki he proclaimed, ‘You’re my boy wonder.’ And then he was gone.

The TV seemed louder with less people to hear it: “...Holy polar front.

“Yes, boy wonder...” The sounds of his heroes drifted into Natsuki’s mind as he fell asleep to dream of Batman, Robin, and his big brother Ise Haruki.


	2. Chapter 2

Ise Haruki opened his eyes with a start. Sweat was beading on his brow and his heart was racing. It was that damn dream again.

Natsuki on the climbing frame, trying to impress his older brother, shouting for him to watch. Haruki on an important business call, turning away to concentrate. The *crump*. The silence as Haruki turned, hours in the moment it took him to take in the sight of his little brother. The small pile on the park’s tarmac surface. The scruffy kid dropping from the pole and rushing over. Haruki finally following him to scoop Natsuki in his arms and rock with him, too panicked to think what to do.

Haruki cursed the dream. He knew the accident had been his fault. He couldn’t forgive himself, yet still the dream tormented him. At least things had worked out in the end. Natsuki was hurt but not seriously injured. And now Haruki had a week off work to make sure his brother was healing up and getting the rest he needed.

As he was already awake, he decided now was as good a time as any to check on Natsuki.

He opened the door as quietly as he could and stood at the threshold, watching the little one’s restful sleep. Natsuki was holding a T-shirt, as usual. He always needed something to hug.

Haruki bent over the bed to check his brother’s breathing wasn’t labored. He could watch him for hours like this, guarding the small boy. So why couldn’t he have watched him when Natsuki needed him?

Sinking beside the bed, Haruki adjusted his glasses, hoping the action would halt the welling tears. Careful not to wake Natsuki, he let his hand rest on the T-shirt. Natsuki’s favorite. The one he’d worn the day he’d fallen. When Haruki had failed him.

He forced himself to look again, lifting the T-shirt from his brother’s chubby fingers and holding it out in front of him. There was the tear, a ragged rip across the chest. Haruki put his fingers into the hole, thinking about the damage to Natsuki’s flesh and bones that had done this to the cotton.

The silence of Haruki’s held breath was broken by Natsuki’s quiet moan as - in his sleep - he felt the absence of his comforter. Haruki returned the T-shirt and slid out of the room, leaving his brother snuggling into the black material.

Haruki slumped down onto the sofa and clicked the TV on, resigned to the fact that he wouldn’t be getting any more sleep that night. Letting the sights and sounds wash over him, he couldn’t stop thinking about his hurt brother, struggling through his recovery. The drugs had messed with Natsuki’s brain and he’d started to genuinely think his big brother was secretly Batman.

Haruki snickered, remembering the wide-eyed awe Natsuki had displayed when he’d indulged his little brother and divulged his alter ego. It wouldn’t have done Natsuki any harm, he’d forget about it as soon as the drugs wore off anyway. He’d shown such resilience and determination to convalesce that it made Haruki’s heart swell with pride. He really was his Boy Wonder.

Surprised to find he’d made some happy memories during this time, Haruki felt his worry and blame begin to dissipate as his eyelids became heavy.

* * *

 

Haruki woke with the sun blazing into his eyes. He rose jerkily, unaware of the time, just having the uneasy feeling that he had to check on Natsuki right away.

He rushed into his brother’s room, vaguely aware that the door was open, the briefest thought of having left it that way himself. But that didn’t matter now; Natsuki’s bed was empty.

Debilitating panic began to set in, but a noise broke through Haruki’s distress. He followed the sound.

Taking a breath to calm himself, Haruki made his way to the threshold of his own bedroom from where he saw Natsuki rummaging about his wardrobe, knocking Haruki’s clothes off the hangers and onto the floor.

’What the hell d’you think you're doing?!’ Haruki exploded, the sudden change from worry to relief making his voice waver emotionally.

With a high-pitched squeak, Natsuki leapt with surprise and turned timorously to face Haruki, his eyes wide on an ashen face. He backed into the wardrobe and managed to control his trembling lips enough to say, ‘N- nothing!’

Having been disturbed by the brief retreat, Haruki's clothes swung on their hangers, thudding against the wall arrhythmically.

Haruki looked in silence at his younger brother staring back, too scared to talk.

The hangers kept rapping on the side, attacking the hush with an uneven beat.

Haruki tried to visibly relax, hoping Natsuki would copy. He was worried his brother's little heart would burst under any more stress. Adjusting his glasses, he knelt down to speak, ‘I'm sorry I scared you. It's just… you should be resting. And you weren't in your bed,’ he sat in front of Natsuki and held his shoulder, ‘you worried me. Now, what are you doing, eh?’

Natsuki turned bashfully away but his brother’s presence was too close and enveloping. He faced Haruki, keeping his eyes averted. ‘Looking…’ he began, ‘I was looking. I’ve been all over everywhere and it’s not there. So it must be here. It’s not anywhere else. So…’ he shrugged.

Despite himself, Haruki smiled, ‘What are you looking for?’

At last Natsuki made eye contact and replied as if it should be obvious, ‘The Batcave.’

Haruki hugged his brother to hide the amused grin spreading across his lips. ‘Come on, you,’ he said, lifting Natsuki and walking with him back to his bedroom, ‘that’d be too exciting for you. You’ve got to keep calm and keep rested. We don’t want you getting worse.’

‘But after... when I’m better, right?’ Natsuki asked, his voice muffled by Haruki’s shoulder.

‘We’ll see,’ the elder said, plopping his brother onto his bed, ‘I don’t let just anyone in.’ He tried to distract himself from Natsuki’s hurt expression by picking up his torn T-shirt, ‘We need to sort out your clothes anyway.’

‘Not that!’ Natsuki burst out, ‘I need it.’

Haruki looked through the torn fabric, ‘You can’t go out wearing this.’

‘I need it,’ Natsuki whimpered, slumping his shoulders. He looked up when he heard his brother leave the room, an impotent, desperate plea written on his face. That was it then, he’d never again have a T-shirt he loved so much.

Haruki came back into the room, a T-shirt in a lurid shade of yellow held in one hand. He proffered it to Natsuki on the bed. His brother shook his head, ‘I don’t want it.’

‘Just try it on, Natsuki,’ the elder said, firmly but kindly.

Natsuki yanked the tee out of his brother’s hand and reluctantly slipped into it. He stood and the hem fell to his knees, he moved his arms and the sleeves flapped around his upper arms. ‘It’s too big,’ he sneered.

‘You can roll up the sleeves,’ Haruki urged, ‘it looks good.’ With a look that made it clear he didn’t believe his brother, Natsuki did as he was told so it looked like he was wearing a very long vest. ‘OK,’ Haruki smiled, ‘now we can put this on,’ from behind his back he produced Natsuki’s old favorite and pushed it onto his head. The little one put his arms through the short sleeves. The smile on Haruki’s face grew wider.

‘What?’ Natsuki asked, ‘What is it?’ To answer, his big brother maneuvered him in front of a mirror.

Natsuki looked at his reflected chest. With the odd-shaped tear in his black tee showing bright yellow underneath, it looked just like Batman’s chest logo.

In the mirror, Haruki saw Natsuki’s face brighten. The younger looked up at his brother’s reflection, the smile and tears swelling on his face stopping him from voicing his appreciation.

‘It’s OK, Boy Wonder. I know.’ Haruki smiled down at the little guy, worried now about his own heart. He was afraid it would burst if he felt any more love and pride for his little brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like what I do, please consider supporting me at <http://ko-fi.com/abaranthion>  
> If you have any suggestions leave them in the comments, contact me via tumblr [abaranthion.tumblr.com](https://abaranthion.tumblr.com) (NSFW), or send me an email to abaranthion[at]hotmail.com

**Author's Note:**

> I only want to hear Haruki call Natsuki, 'Boyo Wanderu' now.


End file.
